You Can't Hide Forever
by RoswellsPixieChick
Summary: Read and Find out (M&M)


Title: You Can't Hide Forever  
  
Rating: R  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters  
  
Summary: Can you really run forever? Natalie Lawrence seems to think so. She's running from a life in which the love of her life left her pregnant after a night of passion in which the next day he left for his home planet. Not wanting the whole town to find out she'd ended up just like her mother she cut off all ties with Roswell only letting her Mother know where she's gone. Assuming another identity can protect you from a lot of things but can you really hide who you truly are? What happens when Natalie's forced to go 'home' 13 years later?  
  
Authors Notes: Big thanks to my beta Cassie!! I hope you all enjoy this fic, I've been working hard on it for months now. It might be a little confusing in the beginning but don't worry it'll all come together.  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Natalie stood staring into the bathroom mirror in the run down apartment she had rented. She no longer looked the same, her long wavy blond hair was once again ear length, but this time colored black. Her body had undergone many changes as well, her once flat stomach was now starting to poke out under her tight clothing.  
  
She didn't recognize herself. She wasn't even sure who she was anymore. Was she Natalie Lawrence, a broken down pregnant waitress living in LA? Was she Maria Deluca, the 16 year old girl from Roswell, with so many hopes and dreams for the future?  
  
How could she tell between the two? It seemed that just a few weeks ago she was standing at home looking at herself in her bedroom mirror, and she knew exactly who she was, Maria Deluca Amy's daughter, Liz's wacky best friend the girl everyone over looked over, or pretended to listen to, she had a life she had friends she had a family.  
  
And now here she was alone, trying to make it in LA on her own without friends, a family, without a life what could she do? She had a child growing inside of her and she wasn't sure what would happen. She was broken, but was she really? Was it her, Natalie Lawrence that was torn between going home and running far from it? Or was it Maria Deluca whose life was so unsure?  
  
She didn't know what to do, should she return to Roswell? Return to being Maria Deluca, the lonely loser with hopes and dreams of the future that she could never have? Return home a teenage mother watching all of her friends dreams come true, watch them leave Roswell while she stayed behind with the hard reality that she gave Michael the only thing that was really ever hers and now she had become her Mom. Alone with a baby while everyone else's future was so bright.  
  
She knew she couldn't do that, she wouldn't do that. She was going to make it here; she was going to raise her child, Michael's child. It was the only thing she had left, the only thing to remind her of Michael, to remind her of Roswell. It was her last remnant that proved it hadn't been just a dream.  
  
She wanted this child with her entire being, she knew it'd be painful knowing that it was the only thing she had left, the only thing she had to hold onto. But she knew this baby was made with love, more love then most people experience in a life time and that knowledge alone was what would keep her going, keep her thriving, because she didn't care what it took, she would make a life for her baby. Her baby wouldn't grow up living in a run down home, not if she could help it.  
  
So she'd start out this day, knowing that her life was just beginning, because Maria Deluca no longer existed, in her place was the strong, confident, hopeful Natalie Lawrence. Natalie's father had never abandoned her; the love of her life had never left her. She wasn't the girl that no one took seriously; she wasn't the wacky friend who everyone thought had nothing real to say. She was everything Maria Deluca could never be.  
  
Raking a brush through her short hair she smiled at her new reflection. She applied some gloss to her lips and some dark eyeliner before grabbing her keys and heading out the door. The sun shown brightly, she smiled inwardly. She loved it here. These past few weeks had been such a change from Roswell.  
  
Guilt tugged at her stomach, for leaving them there. She knew it was for the best, she couldn't face them, everyone would be so upset with her, they'd tell her she was foolish for letting him have his way with her, but she didn't care. She wouldn't change what happened that night for anything in the world, and because of that night she had something to remember him by, a little baby growing inside of her.  
  
Pushing her thoughts aside she decided to walk the short distance to her work. She needed the exercise and it'd do no good for her to stand around and think about Roswell, think about Maria's past, because she no longer had a past to feel sad or angry about. She had a fresh start and she didn't care what it took. She would make the best of it.  
  
Once she'd reached the small cafe, she walked in noticing the other waitress was already taking orders, she smiled at her and put on her nametag before clocking in.  
  
"Hey." The other waitress said friendly. Natalie gave her a once over, she reminded her of Isabel in some ways.  
  
"Hi." She replied timidly while pinning her hair back with a headband.  
  
"Its pretty quiet right now."  
  
"I see." She didn't feel like being sociable she didn't even know the other waitress, she knew her name was Alissa but that was about all.  
  
"Well, I better get this over there."  
  
"Yeah." Natalie said smiling, taking out her order pad she headed towards one of the tables in her section.  
  
"What can I get you?"  
  
"Can we get two lemon bacon burgers, with a side of fries and two chocolate shakes please?" the middle-aged, woman in a black and pink shirt, which had seen better days, asked with a friendly way.  
  
"Sure, I'll be back with your order in a few minutes." Natalie said forcing a smile. She headed over to the counter where the orders were hung for the cooks and placed it there.  
  
"Here let me get that." Natalie said helping Alissa with a tray of steaming food.  
  
"Thanks." Alissa said. "I'm Alissa."  
  
"I know." Natalie said rolling her eyes.  
  
"I'm Natalie."  
  
"I know." Alissa said grinning.  
  
"I guess were properly introduced then."  
  
"I guess so." Natalie said coolly.  
  
"Here you go." Alissa said as they set the orders down on the table.  
  
"Thank you, it looks great." The family of five said.  
  
"Orders up on table 10." Natalie heard one of the cook's call out.  
  
"Thanks." She said grabbing the tray and heading over to the couple. "Enjoy." She told them while placing their plates in front of them.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
She was finally able to take her lunch, she headed into the back room and grabbed her apple from her locker, she knew she should be eating more but that'd have to wait until she got home. Only 4 more hours to go thankfully.  
  
She sat back on the couch chewing absently on her green apple. It seemed too familiar, this place was so different then the Crash Down though, but then waitressing all together felt like home.  
  
"Tired?" She heard Alissa say causing her head to snap up.  
  
"Yeah I guess." She said shrugging her shoulders.  
  
"Long shifts are hell." Alissa observed.  
  
"I'm used to em." She blurted out.  
  
"Oh? So you've worked as a waitress before?" Alissa asked smiling.  
  
"Yeah you could say that."  
  
"So how old are you?" Alissa asked curiosity showing on the brunettes face.  
  
"16." Natalie snapped.  
  
"Oh." Alissa cooed "I've just turned 16."  
  
"Yeah well, I'm turning 17."  
  
"Cool." Alissa said.  
  
"So where are you staying?"  
  
"Does it matter."  
  
"No." Alissa said trying to be friendly "I guess it doesn't."  
  
"Well, then I better get back to work." Natalie said pushing herself up off the couch.  
  
"Yeah." Alissa said with a shake of her head. 


End file.
